The Blue Archive producer has spoken out about growing concerns around AI use in game development, warning that poor implementation is damaging player confidence in creative products.

In a recent New Year’s interview with GameMeca, Nexon Games producer Yongha Kim discussed how his company uses AI technology while addressing widespread worries about its impact on creative authenticity. His comments come as more game studios release titles featuring AI-generated or AI-assisted content, often facing pushback from players.

Kim pointed to what he calls “AI slop” as a key problem facing the industry. “First, we have the issue of AI slop, when reckless use of generative AI lowers the quality of the output,” Kim explained. He compared it to buying a bag of snacks that looks good on the outside but is mostly filled with air. “Of course the consumers would react negatively,” he said.

The criticism isn’t limited to smaller projects. Even well-received games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have faced debate over AI use, with players citing concerns about copyright issues and “soulless content.”

According to Kim, audiences interested in niche and subculture-focused genres expect “authenticity of creativity” from developers. However, he argues that current AI models are “merely simulators” without personality or intent behind them. “If we entirely rely on them to produce results with a mere ‘click,’ I believe it raises the question: Can the creator’s authenticity really be incorporated into that?” Kim said.

When asked if AI could fully replace human creators soon, Kim’s answer was no—at least not yet. “The core issue is that, currently, AI still cannot fully generate the level of output demanded in development environments,” he stated. While he acknowledged that AI might eventually reach that point, he believes it will “still fall short of expectations next year.” Despite this, Kim noted that AI’s usefulness as a tool continues to grow.

At Nexon Games, Kim’s IO division—the team behind Blue Archive and Project RX—has been using AI-based technologies like voice recognition and speech synthesis. However, the company is taking a measured approach. “Rather than abruptly transforming the entire organization around AI, we are taking a more practical approach of first identifying developers’ needs and then developing technologies or providing services that are able to meet them,” Kim explained.

In earlier interviews, Kim described how the team uses AI to handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, freeing up developers to focus on work that requires human creativity.